During that time, Cantwell held fewer hearings and advanced fewer pieces of legislation than most of her predecessors although her staff held a significant number of listening sessions with tribal leaders and Indian organizations. Her biggest priority -- a fix to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Carcieri v. Salazar -- remains unaccomplished.

Sen. Jon Tester
(D-Montana) will now be taking up that legislation and other issues as the new chair of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. He is expected to keep Mary Pavel, a member of the Skokomish Tribe of
Washington, as the majority staff director.